Inspiration: Don't go by what you see

On today’s podcast, I was sharing my excitement that today is my 21st wedding anniversary! Click here to listen. It seems crazy to me that I was only 21 years old when I got married and now, I have been married for the number of years I had been alive on the day of my nuptials.

God is a keeper and He has been so gracious to both me and my husband Kenya. We are truly happy. We are friends. We laugh all the time. And our love has grown deeper throughout the years. Through life’s storms, twists and turns, we have remained solid, because our foundation is built upon Christ.

Whether we have been dealing with lack or my own extended bout with illness, we have endeavored to always keep our eyes fixed upon the Lord. He is the anchor of our souls. He keeps us stable through life’s toughest challenges.

In Matthew 7:24-27 Jesus said, the one who listens to and follows His teaching is like a person who builds a house on a solid rock. Even though torrential rains pour down, flood waters rise and winds crash against that house, it won’t fall because it is built on bedrock.

On the other hand, Jesus said, the individual who hears His teaching and doesn’t obey is like the one who builds a house on sand. When the rains, floods and winds come, that house collapses with a mighty crash.

God’s word is the difference-maker.

I want to relate this scripture to placing your full faith and confidence in Him. If you don’t build your hope upon what God has said, despite what your circumstances say, you won’t survive the storm, amen?

But if you remain firmly rooted and grounded in the word, even life’s fiercest challenges won’t cause you to fall apart. Nothing will be strong enough to knock you down.

Put your confidence in the Lord. Don’t go by what you see. Go by what He said in His word. That’s how you make it. When you look to Him, you won’t just survive, but you’ll thrive in every season.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV says, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit.”

How powerful is that biblical promise? It confirms that if you remain firmly rooted in God and place your confidence in Him, you will bear fruit in every season.

In times of famine, you can expect to produce. When the land is barren, you can remain sure that you’ll reap a harvest in due time. When the earth is dry and parched, you can rejoice in advance for the abundance of rain that’s on the way!

The message is simple: trust and obey the word of the Lord. This is the key to releasing divine favor and unlocking the treasure trove of blessings He has in store for you.

I know it might not look good right now. Trouble may be everywhere. Bad news may be looming. Satan wants you to feed into thoughts of doom and gloom, and expect the worst to happen. Don’t fall into that trap!

The only accurate interpretation of your circumstances comes through the lens of God’s word. He promises you fruitfulness in all seasons when you trust and rely on Him.

When things go wrong, His word still stands. When times are hard, His word is still true. When your circumstances contradict His promises, His word will come to pass just as He spoke it.

Prepare your heart and mind for an outpouring of blessings, even if your circumstances don't indicate that blessings are on the horizon. Don’t go by what you see. Go by what He said.

According to Psalm 1:3 NLT, which is what I’m stirring into your cup of inspiration, those who trust in God wholeheartedly, “are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.”

As you drink down the contents of your cup, remember, if you’ve been worrying, stressing and fretting, you’ve been focusing on the wrong thing. You’ve been going by what you see instead of walking by faith in God’s every promise. It’s time to get back to trusting.

Focus on being obedient to the word of God. This is what positions you to reap your harvest.

His word can be trusted.

Live by faith in what God has spoken concerning you. And remember what the word of the Lord says in Isaiah 40:8 NKJV: "The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.”

Today’s Prayer: God, I stand upon Your word today and trust You with my whole heart. No matter how things appear and how forceful the storm presently raging against me is, my hope is in You alone. I look to You, my rock, redeemer and source of all things. And I trust You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.